The longest night

DGA Awards took place Saturday in Hollywood

It seemed the always lengthy DGA Awards would once again leave guests nodding off far past their bedtime as nominees stubbornly milled around the Hollywood & Highland ballroom Saturday evening.

“Members of the DGA, this light cue is for you,” an announcer told guests who used the occasion to catch up with old friends and strike a deal or two.

“Last year we celebrated the 75th anniversary with a show of biblical length, old testament biblical. Even James Cameron thought it was too long, ” emcee Kelsey Grammer told the crowd.

“The Artist” continued its golden climb as Michel Hazanavicius took home the guild’s top prize.

But the other nominees also made their presence felt.

Martin Scorsese received a standing ovation as he walked to the stage to accept his nomination medallion for “Hugo.” And before inviting “The Descendants” director Alexander Payne to the stage to accept his DGA nom medallion, George Clooney personified each nommed director as a Greek god, saving a special deity for his friend. “I’m here in the service of the Greekiest of gods, Alexander ‘Uranus’ Payne,” Clooney said. “Of all the gods this humble servant has served, Uranus has been the greatest…this is my final plea, pick Uranus!”

Woody Allen accepted his nom medallion via video.

“I am not there because I know that if I came I would have to mingle and I don’t hold up in person,” he said. “I would be the only guy there who wears tweed jackets with elbow patches and who is Jewish but not smart.”